Hand-openable top for cans



L. FRIED HAND-OPENABLE TOP FOR CANS.

Dec. 4, 1956 Filed Oct. 51, 1952 IN VENTOR ATTORNEKS' 7 2,772,808HAND-OPENABLE. ron ron CANS M his Fried,Philadelphia, Pa. p IApplication October 31, lssa serial No. 318,130

' 10 Claims. .ig zo 4s .v a I The present invention relates toimprovements in can tops adapted tobe applied by conventional canningmachinery and more particularly relates to an improved can top whichi-shand-openable and does not require the use of can openers of thevarious well-known types.

In cans of the prior art, it is usually necessary that a separate canopener be utilized for opening the can top. An objection to the use ofseparate can openers is that one must be available when it is desired toopen a can. Furthermore, when using separate can openers, they must beeither made so durable as tobe able to open a large number of cans and,therefore, be expensive or they may be constructed inexpensivelyrequiring frequent replacement. Can openers have heretofore beenincorporated on cans, such as for example, the key-type of opener, butthis type is notoriously diflicult to manipulate and there is always thechance that the key will become lost prior to use. I Q

Reference is made to my copending application, Serial No. 318,129 filedOctober 31, 1952,;for a disclosure of one fo-rm of can top whichobviates the difliculties encountered in prior art arrangements. In theform shown in that application, the opening in the can top is effectedby first removing a center portion of the plate of the can top, thesubsequent forming of theremoved center portion into a cuttinginstrument, and finally, the cutting of the sealing plastic sheet bythat cutting instrument.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to providean improved can top which will overcome the difficulties encountered inprior can tops and yet which will provide an effective sealing closurefor cans.

Another object of the present invention is to provide "an improved cantop which will require the use of no can openers or other separate canopening device such as a key or the like and yet which will be ofextreme simplicity and not require a complex procedure for effecting theopening.

Still another object of the present invention is to pro- "vide animproved can top arrangement wherein by the simple" expedient ofpivoting a portion of the can top relative to the remainder thereof, anopening is formed inthe frangible sealingmeans which constitutes'part of"the cover, thereby obviating the requirement for forming a cuttinginstrument to fracture the sealing mean-s.

A further object of the present invention is to provide can contents andwherein the cost of the can top is not materially greater than that ofconventional can tops.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent from thedetailed description to follow.

A preferred form in which-I have contemplated applying my invention isclearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: l

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a can to which one of my improved cantops has been applied;

nitecl States Patent 2,772,808 Patented Dec. 4, 1956 Fig. 2 is aperspective exploded view of the several component elements of myimproved can top; 7

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the planeof line 3-3 of Fig. l and showing the dotted line position of. thecomponent elements prior to and subsequent to effecting the opening inthetop; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the cutting of theplastic sheet by the portion of the plate that has been pivoted aboutits joinders.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numeralsdesignate likeparts throughout, and havmaterialfo-r cans arecontemplated.

The substantially flat and circular plate 12 is essentially ofconventional can top construction in that it is comprised of the usualdepressed portion 20, the relatively raised annular portion 22 adjacentthereto, the annular arcuated rib portion 24, the annular flat portion26, which is substantially coplanar with the annular portion 22, andfinally the peripheral flange portion 28. As

will be understood, the flange portion 28 cooperates with' the flange 30at the upper end of the conventional can C "to form the usual sealingseam at 32, as shown best in an improved can top which has incorporatedtherein ,means for simply effecting an opening for access to the Fig. 3.The seam shown is formed by the conventional canningmachinery and myimproved can top can be fed by the usual equipment without requiring anychanges.

approximately the diameter 39. Slit 36 is comprised of the two slitportions 44 and 46 which diverge from a point 48 on the annular portion22 of the cover to approximately the diameter 39. The ends of the slits40 and 42 terminate in juxtaposition to the ends of the slits 44 and 46,respectively, at the diameter 39, so as to provide narrow joinders at 50and 52 which connect the substantially triangular can top portion 54,which is otherwise substantially separate,,with the encircling orsurrounding can top portion.

The can top plate 12 is provided with a slot at 56 in the annular flatportion 26 radially outwardly of the point or vertex 48 of thetriangular portion 54. The

" substantiallytriangular portion 54 is provided with an offset portionat '58, see Figs. 3 and 4, at the ends of which aligned slots 60 and'62are provided, the axis of the slots being perpendicular to the diameter39 "and sub- "stantially in line with the vertex 48. The portion 54 isalsoprovided with a struck-out portion 64 which forms a tongue 66 for apurpose to bedescribed hereinafter.

The frangible plasticdisc 14 is formed of thin sheet polyethylenebecause of its desirable properties. "However, any other material'whichwill effect a seal between the plate flange 28 and can top flange 30 atthe seam 32 and which will also protect the food-in the can C over therequisite range of temperatures'may be employed. The diameter of thedisc 14 shown is greater ly stilt metallic stock or other suitablematerial, the width thereof being approximately equal to the width ofthe.

9 a slots-60 and62. The strap has one end portion offset. at 68 so as toprovide a finger engaging portion. The protective clip 18 issubstantially of U-shaped form and includes a short leg 70 and a longleg 72 joined by-bightportionfld so-thatthe legs are in close parallelrelationship. v

In assembly, the strap 16 is passed'through the slots 60 'and-62 beneaththe ofiset 58 of the triangular portion and has the end 76 engagedbeneath and against'thetongue '66,- the finger-engaging portion 6 8lying over the rib 24. The protective'clip 18 isof bendable material sothat the 'short leg 79 can be disposed through the slot 56 and beneaththe plate '12 with its free end 71, underlying the point or apex 48 asseen best in Figure 3. The'long leg'is adaptedto overlie't-hetriangula'rportion 54 so that the two legs. r'eleas'ably retain the triangularportion from.

accidental displacement. The'plastic disc 14 is disposed on theundersurface of the can top and secured thereto,

7 especially at the flange Z8.

7 The can 'ltop can then be applied toi'a can filled with foodor'beverage in the conventional fashion.

Whenit isdesiredto remove the contentsof the can, the user merely bendsthe long leg72 of the protective clip l8 to'th'e'dotted line position72' of Fig. 3 and then completely removes the clip. Next the strap 16 ismoved upwardly, by engaging the portion 68, to the dotted linepositionlo'. The strap 16 and the substantially triangular portion 54move together and pivot about an axis substantially coincident with thediameter 39, the joinders '50 and 52 twisting during the operation. Theapex 48 of the triangular portion is thereby depressed, puncturing theplastic sheet and the continued pivoting action severs the'plastic sheetalong the lines 78 and 80 as seen in Fig. 4. In this fashion atriangular opening in the can top is effected out through which thebeverage can be dispensed. 'If desired, theltriang'ular portion 54 andstrap16 can be completely removed 'byirocking the same back and forth'un'til fracture occurs at the joinders 50 and 52.

It will be. realized that various mechanical modifications andsubstitutions can be madewhich fall within the scope ofmy invention asset forth in the appended claims.

'It will thus be seen that I have provided a can open- .ing arrangementwherein it is unnecessary to effect any cutting, of the metal fof thecanin view of the pro-cutting or pre-slitting as above described.Therefore, the possibility of slivers of metal, often occuring as aresult of the operation of conventional can-openers,f alling into thefood to become involved in human consumption, is entirely obviated. j

i What isclaimed is:

1. A hand-openable can top comprising a substantially fiat plate of ashape similar to that of a'can towhich it is to be applied, a pair ofslits in said plate with both ends of one slit terminating adjacent therespective ends of the other slit providing narrow joinders betweentheslits lying in a diametrical'line of the plate, the major. portion ofeach slit being spaced from the corresponding portion .of the other slitso as. to define a can top portion substantially separate from anencircling portion and extending across said diametrical line andthe'major part ofthe top portion between the slits, and means carried bysaid can top portion for effecting displacement of said can top portionand for effecting rotation of the same relative to the encirclingportion on said diametrical line so as to provide an opening in said cantop for access to the contents 'of'the can. 7' V 2. A hand-openable cantop comprising a substantially fiat plate of a shapesimilar to that of acan to which it is to be applied, a pair of slits in said plate withboth 7 ends of one slit terminating adjacent the respective ends of theother slit providing narrow joindersbetween the slits lying in adiametrical line of the plate, the major portion of each slit beingspaced from the" correspondingportion of the other slit so as to defineacan top f portion attached only bysaid joinders to ,an. encircling ingin said can top for access to the contents of the 3'. A hand-openablecan top according to claim 2 wherein said frangible sealing means.is-comprised of a sheet of plastic material adapted to sealingly bondthat periphery of the can top'to the'open top of the can.

4. A hand-openableean'top comprising a substantially flat plate of ashape similar to that of. a can to which it is to be applied, a pairofslits in said plate with theends of one slit terminating adjacent therespective ends of the other slit, the major portion of each slit beingspaced from the corresponding portion of the other slit so as to definea can top portion substantially separate from an encircling portion, andmeans for efiectingdisplacement of said can top portion relative to theencircling portion so as to provide an opening in said can top foraccess to the contents of the can, said means including an elongated,relatively stiff, substantially flat strap, said can top portion having'means for holding said strap thereto for movement together.

5. A hand-openable can top comprising a substantially fiat plate of ashape similar to that of a can to which it is to be applied, a pair ofslits in said plate with the ends of one slit terminating adjacent therespective ends of the other slit, the major portion of each slit beingspaced from the corresponding portion of the other slit so as to definea can top portion substantially separate from an encircling portion, andmeans for effecting displacement of said can top portion relative to theencircling portion so as to provide an opening in said can top foraccess tothe contents of the can, said means including an elongated,relatively stiff, substantially fiat strap, saidcan top portion havingmeans for holding said strap thereto for movement together, said lastrecited means including an offset formation having end slots throughwhich said strap can extend.

6. A hand-openable can top comprising a substantially flat plate of ashape similar to that of a can to which it is to be applied, a pair ofslits in said plate with the ends of one slit terminating adjacent therespect ends of the other slit, the major portion of each slit beingspaced from the corresponding portion of the other slit so as to definea can top portion substantially separate from an encircling portion,first means for effecting displacement of said can top portion relativeto the encircling portion so as toprovide an opening in said can top foraccess to the contents of the can, and second means for releasablyretaining said can top portion in substantially co-planar relationshipwith the encircling portion.

7. A -handr-openable can top according to claim 6 wherein said secondmeans is comprised. of a substantially U-shaped clip adapted to embraceupper and lower surfaces of-said can top portion and said encirclingportion.

8. Ahand-openablecan top comprising a substantially flat plate of. ashape similar to that-of a can to which it is to be applied, a pair ofslits in said plate with both ends of one slit terminating adjacent therespective ends of the other slit providing narrow joinders betweenadjacent slit ends, the major portion of eachslit being spaced from thecorresponding portion of the other slit so as to define a'substa'ntiallycentral can top portionstrbstantially separate from an encircling.portion, frangible sealing means on the underside of said plate foreffectin a sealing closure for the top ope'ningof the-can when said cantop is engaged thereon, and means carried by said can top portion foreffecting displacement .and rotation of the entire said central can topportion on'an axis line passing throughsaid narrow joinders relative tothe encircling portion so as to fracture the frangible sealing means andprovide an opening in said can top for access to the contents of thecan, said can top portion having a pointed end portion for effecting thefracture.

9. A hand-openable can top comprising a substantially flat plate of ashape similar to that of a can to which it is to be applied, a pair ofslits in said plate with the ends of one slit terminating adjacent therespective ends of the other slit, the major portion of each slit beingspaced from the corresponding portion of the other slit so as to definea can top portion substantially separate from an encircling portion,frangible sealing means at the underside of said plate for effecting asealing closure for the top opening of the can when said can top isengaged thereon, an elongated, relatively stiff, substantially flatstrap affixed to said can top portion and extending from one end thereofsubstantially medially of one of the slits for effecting displacement ofsaid can top portion relative to the encircling portion, and said cantop portion having a pointed end portion remote from said strap adaptedto fracture said frangible sealing means.

10. A hand-openable can top comprising -a substantially flat plate of ashape similar to that of a can to which it is to be applied, a pair ofslits in said plate with both ends of one slit terminating adjacent therespective ends of the other slit providing narrow joinders betweenadjacent slit ends, the major portion of each slit being spaced from thecorresponding portion of the other slit so as to define a substantiallycentral can top portion substantially separate from an encirclingportion, frangible sealing means on the underside of said plate foreffecting a sealing closure for the top opening of the can when said cantop is engaged thereon, and means carried by said can top portion foreffecting displacement and rotation of the entire said central can topportion on an axis line passing through said narrow joinders relative tothe encircling portion so as to fracture the frangible sealing means andprovide an opening in said can top for access to the contents of thecan, said can top portion having a portion for effecting the fracture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,082,760 Berni June 1, 1937 2,092,671 Hildebrandt Sept. 7, 19372,165,720 Norland July 11, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 113,152 Australia May20, 1941

